In it’s quest to expand its reach and develop a new field of talented drivers, Midwest Drift Union, the region’s official Formula Drift pro-am licensing body, announces its expansion into the Southeast region for 2017.

“We’re humbled and very excited to move into this new era, into the Southeast, and growing awesome drivers and building the future generation of Formula Drift drivers,” said MDU co-founder and president Edgar Sarmiento.

Along with co-founder Jon Gillatt, Sarmiento formed Midwest Drift Union as an evolution of the Drift Indy brand in 2009, holding its first competition series in 2010. Since then, they have developed the Smashed USA apparel line utilizing Gillatt’s experience as founder of Enthusiast Apparel, along with the new Street League Drifting series. Now, the duo announces the development of the Drift Group, which will focus on building a new region in the company’s first foray into Southeast territory.

“We really enjoy sharing what we know and preparing drivers for the next step of the Pro 2 Formula Drift world,” Sarmiento said.

Formula Drift pro driver Geoff Stoneback, along with Pro 2 drivers Dirk Stratton and Andrew Lewis, have earned their licenses through the MDU program. Now, the series hopes to build the driver base in a new area.

“We’ll be bringing another side of the professionalism we bring to the table to the Southeast and running a fair, fun competition series for our friends in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, the Carolinas and beyond,” Sarmiento said.

As of this release, no venues have been confirmed, but Sarmiento stated there would be four to five events spread out around the Southeast in addition to MDU’s traditional Midwest series.

The plane ride from Philadelphia to Los Angeles lasted 6 hours, but Geoff Stoneback felt like he was trapped in the sky for eternity.

The professional Formula Drifter was headed out west to do some last-minute maintenance on his Nissan S14 before the 2015 season opener, held on the streets of Long Beach. The reigning rookie of the year looked forward to not just kicking off his sophomore campaign in Formula Drift, but to hanging out with his L.A.-based best friend and crew member, Mark Lenardon, in the days leading up to the big event.

Shortly into his Sunday-night trip, however, Stoneback noticed something strange: He had working WiFi, which was out of the norm. Minutes later, he received a haunting message from a friend.

Mark was in a crazy accident, the text read. If you can, call his mom.

Stoneback’s heart sunk. “I had a real creepy feeling,” he says. “I was stuck on this plane for hours and hours, and I didn’t know how bad his accident was.”

Immediately after touching down at midnight, Stoneback jetted to Long Beach Memorial to see Lenardon. The police had found him 100 feet from his motorcycle and couldn’t determine the cause of the crash, though they suspected speed was a factor. By the time Stoneback had arrived to see him, doctors had placed Lenardon in a medically induced coma on account of dangerously high brain pressure.

Stoneback stayed in the hospital for the next 24 hours and simply sat beside his unconscious friend. An aspiring videographer, Lenardon filmed Stoneback’s drifting videos and photos, and helped the driver edit event recaps, rope in sponsors, and constantly work on his car. “Anything he coulddo, he would,” Stoneback says. “He just wanted to make me as successful as possible.” (See another great example of What Male Friendship Really Looks Like.)

With his race approaching on Friday, Stoneback mustered up enough might to drive to the course for prep on Tuesday—but only at the strong insistence of Lenardon’s family, who told him that he needed to practice.

On his trip to the track, however, Stoneback broke down in tears. “There I was crying in my car,” he says. “How was I supposed to go drive this 1,000-horsepower, $100,000 car when my best friend was in a hospital bed dying?”

That week, he drove like “complete crap,” and ran into a mechanical issue that prevented him from practicing before his qualifying round on Friday. He felt hopeless. “It was so emotionally tough.”

Still, Stoneback told himself that “Mark would have just wanted me to rip it that weekend,” and vowed to find inspiration in his ailing friend. He partnered with apparel companies to make T-shirts in Lenardon’s honor, with proceeds going toward his medical costs, and helped spread awareness for the Mark Lenardon Family Fund, which has since raised more than $34,000 in just 18 days.

Stoneback even wrote “I <3 Mark Lenardon” in big, white letters on top of his purple Nissan, the brightest symbol of a season-long dedication to his crew mate.

On Friday, April 10, race day rolled around. Right before he headed to the track, Stoneback stopped by Lenardon’s hospital room to place a bracelet on the teddy bear in his bed.

“I told Mark, ‘I know you’re with us,’” Stoneback says. “And he was.”

Despite his lack of practice, Stoneback qualified 14th out of 40 pro drifters—the best he’s ever placed in Formula Drift. The next day, he won his first tandem battle and moved on to the top 16. Although he lost in that round to the drifter who ended up winning the whole competition, Stoneback is proud of his performance—and knows Lenardon helped give him an extra push.

“When you dedicate a performance to someone, you attack it with double the amount of energy and power,” Stoneback says. “You act as though that person is by your side. It gives you a drive you never thought you had.”

Lenardon passed away on April 14, from injuries sustained during the motorcycle accident. He was just 26, but “he had already touched everyone in the drifting community,” Stoneback says.

As for what his best friend taught him most, Stoneback singles out Lenardon’s unstoppable drive. “He always tried to be the best at he wanted to do, and he made himself better. His videos will always be here. His photos will always be here. But the way he was so passionate is how I’m going to remember him. Now I’m going to apply that in my life.”

Geoff Stoneback’s S14 is one of my favorite cars in Formula Drift. It really screams the spirit of drifting. Which has us pumped to be working with Geoff this Formula Drift season.

Geoff built this car himself with the help of R/T Tuning, who also provided tuning and alignment. Based on his Top 16 finish this past weekend at Formula Drift, they did a damn good job.

Of course it’s performance that matters most, but a classic Japanese inspired livery always helps to seal the deal. Graphics where done by D-Magic.

Geoff switched over to Enkei for wheels this season. These are the Enkei Tenjin Tuning Series MAT wheels. Unfortunately, they are not offered in white. I was a bit worried they would not match the look of the car but they turned out pretty amazing. Fronts are 17×9 and rears are 18×9.5 wrapped with Achilles Radial Atr Sport 2s and 123s. According to Geoff, these providing amazing traction on the field.

It has a RHS LSX block with All Pro LS7 heads, putting out 650WHP NA, it was built by Lon M. At Compeition Engine Services in North Carolina. It is paired up with a G-force four speed dog box and a Winters Quick Change differential from MA motorsports. 650WHP is under the norm in professional drifting these days but with Geoff’s aggressive driving style, it was enough to take out FD veteran Ken Gushi and landing him in top 16 after a one more time battle.

Stoneback was last season’s Rookie of The Year and also finished 2nd in Pro2 (only missing 1st by 6 points).

At last year’s round 3 in Miami, when Geoff finished in the Great 8, Bryan (FD’s Co-Founder) called him the future of Formula Drift.

We believed it then, and after a great 1st round in the streets of Long Beach, we believe it now. Best of luck this season man!

Geoff Stoneback and his team have dedicated this season to his good friend Mark Lenardon and his family. To donate, please visit Mark Lenardon’s Family Fund on GoFundMe. – Alex